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Guide: Step-by-Step Process to Build EFI Folder for Intel i7-9700, UHD 630, and Gigabyte B365M D3H

For a successful Hackintosh installation using the Intel i7-9700 (Coffee Lake), UHD 630, and a Gigabyte B365M D3H motherboard, we need to configure the EFI folder correctly using OpenCore. Below is a detailed guide to build an EFI folder based on your hardware specifications and the Dortania OpenCore guide.

Hardware Overview:

• CPU: Intel i7-9700 (Coffee Lake)
• IGPU: UHD 630 (Integrated Graphics)
• GPU: Disabled (iGPU will be used)
• RAM: 32GB SK Hynix
• SSD: SK Hynix 512GB
• Motherboard: Gigabyte B365M D3H
• Ethernet: Intel I219-V

Prerequisites:

• OpenCore Bootloader: Download the latest OpenCore from here.
• Essential Kexts:
  • Lilu.kext
  • WhateverGreen.kext
  • VirtualSMC.kext
  • AppleALC.kext (for audio)
  • IntelMausi.kext (for Ethernet)
  • USBInjectAll.kext (for USB ports)
• macOS Installer: Use the macOS installer for your version (e.g., macOS Ventura or macOS Sonoma).
• ProperTree: For editing config.plist.

Step 1: Preparing Your EFI Folder

1. Create the OpenCore EFI Folder:
   • Download and extract the latest OpenCore package.
   • Create an EFI folder on your USB drive and copy the EFI/OC folder into it.
2. Essential Folder Structure: Your USB should now have the following structure under EFI:
   • EFI/OC/ACPI
   • EFI/OC/Kexts
   • EFI/OC/Tools
   • EFI/OC/Drivers
   • EFI/OC/config.plist

Step 2: Add Essential Kexts to the EFI

1. Place the Kexts: Copy the following kexts to the EFI/OC/Kexts folder:

   • Lilu.kext
   • WhateverGreen.kext
   • VirtualSMC.kext
   • AppleALC.kext
   • IntelMausi.kext (for Ethernet)
   • USBInjectAll.kext

2. Drivers:

   • OpenCore typically requires drivers like OpenHFS.efi for file system support. Add it to EFI/OC/Drivers if you plan on using APFS.
   • Other drivers (such as HFSPlus.efi or VBoxHfs.efi) can be added if required for your setup.

Step 3: Configure config.plist

You’ll need to configure the config.plist to match your hardware. Below are the settings relevant to your system:

1. PlatformInfo (SMBIOS settings)

Set the SMBIOS for your system. For Coffee Lake processors like the i7-9700, the SMBIOS model iMac19,1 is appropriate.

Example:

xml
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<key>PlatformInfo</key>
<dict>
    <key>Generic</key>
    <dict>
        <key>SystemProductName</key>
        <string>iMac19,1</string> <!-- This matches i7-9700 -->
        <key>SystemSerialNumber</key>
        <string>XXXXXXXXXXXXX</string> <!-- Generate a serial number -->
        <key>MLB</key>
        <string>XXXXXXXXXXXXX</string> <!-- Generate MLB -->
        <key>SystemUUID</key>
        <string>XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX</string> <!-- Generate UUID -->
    </dict>
</dict>

• Generate Serial Numbers, MLB, and UUID using GenSMBIOS.

2. Boot Arguments

For the i7-9700 and UHD 630, you’ll need some basic boot arguments. These help ensure that the system boots correctly.

xml
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<key>boot-args</key>
<string>-v dart=0 npci=0x3000</string>

• -v: Verbose mode, helpful for debugging.
• dart=0: Disables VT-d (for Intel systems).
• npci=0x3000: Ensures correct PCI bus enumeration.

3. DeviceProperties for UHD 630 Graphics

For the UHD 630 graphics, you will need to set the ig-platform-id property. The following entry enables the UHD 630 GPU.

xml
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<key>PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x2,0x0)</key>
<dict>
    <key>AAPL,ig-platform-id</key>
    <data>BwCbPg==</data> <!-- This value is specific to UHD 630 -->
    <key>framebuffer-patch-enable</key>
    <data>AAEAAQ==</data>
</dict>

4. ACPI Patches

For the Gigabyte B365M D3H, you’ll likely need to apply a couple of ACPI patches to ensure proper system functionality.

Example ACPI entries:

xml
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<key>ACPI</key>
<dict>
    <key>Patch</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>Comment</key>
            <string>Rename GFX0 to IGPU</string>
            <key>Find</key>
            <data>47465830</data>
            <key>Replace</key>
            <data>49475055</data>
            <key>Limit</key>
            <integer>0</integer>
        </dict>
    </array>
</dict>

5. Add Kexts for Ethernet and Audio

In your config.plist, add IntelMausi.kext for Ethernet support (I219-V) and AppleALC.kext for audio.

xml
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<key>KextsToPatch</key>
<array>
    <dict>
        <key>BundlePath</key>
        <string>Contents/PlugIns/AppleMausiEthernet.kext</string>
        <key>Find</key>
        <data>AAECAw==</data>
        <key>Replace</key>
        <data>AAECAw==</data>
    </dict>
</array>

Step 4: Copy the EFI to the System Drive Post-Installation

After successfully installing macOS, you’ll need to copy the EFI folder from your USB to your system drive's EFI partition. Here’s how:

1. Mount EFI Partition on the system drive using MountEFI tool.
2. Copy the Entire EFI Folder from the USB to the system drive’s EFI partition.
3. Reboot into macOS and confirm everything works, including iGPU graphics, Ethernet, and audio.

Step 5: Test and Tweak

Once your system boots into macOS, ensure the following:

1. Graphics: Check if the UHD 630 is enabled and works with hardware acceleration.
2. Ethernet: Ensure your Intel I219-V Ethernet port is functioning.
3. Audio: Test sound output via AppleALC.

If something isn’t working, check the logs (/var/log) for errors or kernel panics and adjust your config.plist or kexts accordingly.

Conclusion

By following the above steps, you should be able to create a working EFI folder for your Intel i7-9700 Hackintosh with UHD 630 graphics on a Gigabyte B365M D3H motherboard. Make sure to test your setup after installation, and tweak the config.plist and kexts as needed for optimal functionality.